My kundalini awakening was abrupt and unexpected. It occurred almost thirty years ago, when I was a professor of English and women’s studies in a Kansas state university. The gist of it is that one day when I was reading a book that mentioned in passing the strange phenomenon of kundalini, I decided to see if I could awaken and then raise these energies up through my spine. I had little or no prior knowledge of such techniques. I knew no one who had heard of such a possibility. I had no familiarity with Eastern practices, gurus, yogis--these things were essentially unknown in that part of the world at that time. I had never even had a massage.

There was one additional piece that was also part of this puzzle. My (female) partner of many years was threatening to leave and my psyche was indeed in a disturbed state. Thus my “inner energies” were in a chaotic condition, as I responded to this inner turmoil.

My awakening happened like this: I sat quietly in my chair, and concentrated fully on breathing into the lower abdomen. Almost immediately I felt a rapturous flow of energy. Now, I thought to myself, I must bring this energy up. And so I began to breathe deeply, with the intent of lifting the energies from the base to my head. Suddenly, they seemed to shoot up, all the way to the crown, which opened in total rapture. The brain itself seemed to have become a vessel of delight. The crown opened to effulgent, ecstatic energies flowing in from above.

At this moment, I realized that this rapturous stream of energy was the life force itself, that which animates the entire universe, and that I was a minute part of this process, a wee speck in an infinite reality, that the “I” that I had constructedI was something that did not even exist except as a myth I myself had created and fostered.

I sat with the experience as long as I could sustain it--perhaps a few minutes, during which I underwent the “opening of the thousand lotus petals” that yogis describe as part of their awakening experience. Some call this enlightenment.

For the next several days I existed in a semi-trance state, during which I experienced inner (visionary) initiation into both Tibetan Buddhist and yogic traditions.

I experienced daily bliss, simply by envisioning Shiva or Krishna, so that I might be in closer touch with these sublime energies, this divine reality.

This was the beginning of an experience that continued in one form or another for the next thirty years, and is still ongoing. It brought periods of both bliss and pain, conviction and searching, as I tried over time to sort out my experience, to unravel what it might “mean”, why it had happened to me, of all people. Was I now “enlightened”? This seemed unlikely, yet I knew that I had confronted a reality far beyond what I might ever have imagined as existing in this physical universe. I knew that there was indeed an unseen force, a presence, a divine impulse underlying the mundane appearance of the world, and that this was what was real.

The name that was closest the nature of this revelation was simply love. I knew that each of us was loved in a special way, and that we must turn to and open to this love, allowing it to sustain us, for we were part of it and it of us.

As my unfolding progressed, I discovered I had certain new “talents.” I now saw auras from time to time, felt the energies of others when I was in (or near) their presence, felt music “inside the head” as if it were coming from within rather than from without. I sometimes sensed the energies of inanimate objects, such as paintings or ancient Chinese vases.

But most precious of all were the times of blissful union with the unseen Source, the “Guru Within,” who continued to lead and guide me. For years I at certain periods experienced these quasi-erotic energies flowing through my body during my practice (which took on various forms over time), often arriving as bliss streams in hands or arms or cheeks--as if something within were making love with me in unexpected places. These were not specifically sexual in nature, but rather sexual energy sublimated into a higher, more subtle level of experience.

And, as I have indicated, the process continues to this day, with ever more delicate manifestations of joy and bliss and love for others and all that is.

What have I learned from all of this?

The Process:

Extreme transformation (sometimes called the lightning stroke) can occur to anyone at anytime and under any circumstance. The amount of prior preparation is no guarantee that the gift will be granted. Some have little or no preparation, and fall quickly into the sea of bliss. Others practice dutifully for years and never experience the deep inner rapture.

Who will undergo this process is not predictable. Those who seemingly should arrive may never attain the goal of immediate realization. Others apparently less deserving may quickly ascend to the top of the mountain.

No one gets a free ride. The opening may be brilliant, transcendent even. But there will be times of balancing and integration, periods of pain and despair, as one attempts to deal with these unfamiliar energies now infusing one’s system, one day mounting into bliss, the next plunging into some kind of pain.

4. One may never ever know why this transfiguring event occurred that so totally turned one’s life around. One theory is that such awakenings are related to one’s past life development as for example (in my case) likely a tantric practitioner. (I consider all delicate energy work to be tantric in nature)

One must listen carefully to one’s own “inner guru,” who seems to be a combination of teacher, counselor, friend, and Beloved Within. The guru is very patient--it will stay with you until the process is “complete” or at least stabilized. In fact, it will remain with you forever, for it is an aspect of your own “higher self,” ready to guide and protect you during this entire life cycle.

This experience is not purely “spiritual” (something divorced from the material realm and the sensate body.) It is something that is felt deeply inside, like any sensation or emotion. It often carries a distinct “erotic” flavor, though it is definitely not merely sexual arousal or response. (The inner response is unique to each person, some of whom may experience the energies as heat or cold or electricity, rather than bliss per se.)

The experience changes constantly, in texture, tone, magnitude and frequency. It is like listening to a piece of music again and again--every single occasion carries a different valence.

Tone and texture change over time--becoming less intense, more subdued, less volatile, more stable. And--even when the energies are so settled that they are felt merely as subtle waves of light moving through the system, these too are beautiful and can leave one sighing with pleasure.

It is extremely difficult to describe this journey, or to share any part of it, with those who have not traveled a similar path. What does one do when one’s body suddenly fills with rapture from simple movement or hearing a special musical phrase? Who can you tell in a world that seems to function on some other wave length, or in some other orbit? One asks, inevitably, “‘Am I the only one? Are there others like me?”

One must adjust to the constantly unexpected. How do you react when--suddenly--you experience in your own body what another person is feeling (somatically) at the moment? What does it mean that you can--unexpectedly--feel in a palpable way the sweet energies emanating from a painting or an ancient vase? This is all part of the actual “expansion of consciousness” that so many describe.

You will benefit greatly from a friend or spiritual buddy with whom to share your experiences, particularly if you cannot find a suitable therapist or guide. This need--to tell one’s story to a sympathetic listener--is one of the greatest of all desires expressed by those undergoing deep transformation.

You can expect to be very, very lonely on this path, especially if you are committed to the Direct Path as opposed to one mediated by a guru or a specific teaching. The reward is that you will thereby make your own discoveries as you go, rather than having them imposed or interpreted by an outside agent. Outside agents are tricky. Some are untrustworthy, others simply limited by the restrictions arising from their own personal experience or tradition. Buddha told us to be a light unto ourselves, to lay down our own path. This way may be more difficult, but in so doing we honor both ourselves and the guide from within.

A s you progress, your practice will become ever more subtle, ever more delicate. Where at the beginning, you might have done hatha yoga in a typical way, now you may find that even a slight movement of fingers or eyes may produce delightful sensations of hands or arms or elsewhere, as if your “inner lover” were with you and leading you into these new levels of response. Ultimately, the sensations may disappear entirely, but often there is then an unexpected return of the divine within.

To complete your journey, you will need to find a way to “give back,” so that others may benefit from your experience. (This is the stage of the hero’s journey that Joseph Campbell calls “bringing the treasure back home.”) What this becomes will depend on your own experience. For me, language was the key. For several years I have presented a blog titled “Kundalinisplendor, Poems and Reflections on the Spiritual Journey. (www.kundalinisplendor.blogspot.com) Through this blog (and other sources) I often hear from those who are themselves experiencing deep spiritual transformation, often with no guide whatsoever or even without a trusted friend to share with. I try to offer these “aspirants” encouragement and support, along with suggestions for resources such as books and relevant websites or authentic teachers. However, mostly I just listen attentively to their stories and answer any questions within my scope of knowledge, and these correspondents are often quite grateful just to be in contact with someone who has made this arduous journey and survived.

I have also published three books growing out of my own experience--”Unmasking the Rose” is a detailed account of my own experience of Kundalini awakening, and “Marrow of Flame” and “A Cloth of Fine Gold” are collections of original poetry growing out of this ongoing journey. My reward is not in dollars and cents but rather the gratification that comes from knowing that other seekers find my work useful in their own spiritual progress.

The Ultimate Significance of Awakening as Universal Process

My own sudden transformation and unfolding was so unlikely that I often said I might not believe any of this it had not happened to me. But it did happen to me, and I have spent much time contemplating its meaning.

I feel my experience is not merely one of personal transformation, but rather an indicator of how the great “shift‘ now so talked about may happen, and in fact is happening. People are transforming on all levels and in an infinite number of ways. Kundalini itself, once virtually unknown to most of us, is now a universally acknowledged phenomenon. Spiritual pursuits of many kinds are springing up daily, as people seek to move forward in their own spiritual ascent. What is going on all around today is the “next stage of human consciousness” so many have predicted. It is our destiny. It is why we came.

Who I am:

Dorothy Walters is a retired professor of English and women’s studies now living and writing in Boulder, Colorado. Her primary focus is helping others undergoing spiritual transformation, especially those involved in Kundalini awakening. She writes a blog at www.kundalinisplendor.blogspot.com and may be contacted at dorothywalters72@yahoo.com She especially enjoys Rumi, the music of Mahler and walks along Boulder Creek.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

An After Death Experience

You have probably heard of a near death experience. Below is a life after death experience. I think you will enjoy. It is short and worth the time to read.

THROUGH THE LIGHTMellen-Thomas Benedict is an artist who survived a near-death experience in 1982. He was dead for over an hour and a half and during that time, he "rose up out of his body and went into the Light." Curious about the universe, he was taken far into the remote depths of existence and even beyond, into the energetic Void of Nothingness behind the Big Bang. Dr. Kenneth Ring has said, "His story is one of the most remarkable I have encountered in my extensive research on near-death experiences."

THE ROAD TO DEATH

In 1982 I died from terminal cancer. My condition was non-operable. I chose not to have chemotherapy. I was given six to eight months to live. Before this time, I had become increasingly despondent over the nuclear crisis, the ecology crisis, and so forth. I came to believe that nature had made a mistake - that we were probably a cancerous organism on the planet. And that is what eventually killed me. Before my death, I tried all sorts of alternative healing methods. None helped.

So I determined that this was between me and God. I had never really considered God. Neither was I into any kind of spirituality, but my approaching death sent me on a quest for more information about spirituality and alternative healing. I read various religions and philosophies. They gave hope that there was something on the other side.

I had no medical insurance, so my life savings went overnight on tests. Unwilling to drag my family into this, I determined to handle this myself. I ended up in hospice care and was blessed with an angel for my hospice caretaker, whom I will call "Anne." She stayed with me through all that was to follow. It lasted about eighteen months.

THE LIGHT OF GOD

I woke up about 4:30 am and I knew that this was it. I was going to die. I called a few friends and said good-bye. I woke up Anne and made her promise that my dead body would remain undisturbed for six hours, since I had read that all kinds of interesting things happen when you die. I went back to sleep.

The next thing I remember, I was fully aware and standing up. Yet my body was lying in the bed. I seemed to be surrounded by darkness, yet I could see every room in the house, and the roof, and even under the house.

A Light shone; I turned toward it, and was aware of its similarity to what others have described in near-death experiences. It was magnificent and tangible, alluring. I wanted to go towards that Light like I might want to go into my ideal Mother's or Father's arms. As I moved towards the Light, I knew that if I went into the Light, I would be dead. So I said/felt, "Please wait. I would like to talk to you before I go." The entire experience halted. I discovered that I was in control of the entire experience. My request was honored. I had conversations with the Light. That's the best way I can describe it. The Light changed into different figures, like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Mandalas, archetypal images and signs. I asked in a kind of telepathy, "What is going on here?"

The information transmitted was that our beliefs shape the kind of feedback we receive: If you are a Buddhist or Catholic or Fundamentalist, you get a feedback loop of your own images. I became aware of a Higher Self-matrix, a conduit to the Source. We all have a Higher Self or an Over Soul part of our being, a conduit. All Higher Selves are connected as one being. All humans are connected as one being. We are literally the same being. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was like all the love you've ever wanted, and it was the kind of love that cures, heals, regenerates.

I was ready to go at that time. I said "I am ready, take me." Then the Light turned into the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen: a mandala of human souls on this planet. I saw that we are the most beautiful creations - elegant, exotic... everything. I just cannot say enough about how it changed my opinion of human beings in an instant.

I said/thought/felt, "Oh, God, I didn't realize." I was astonished to find that there was no evil in any soul. People may do terrible things out of ignorance and lack, but no soul is evil. What all people seek, what sustains them, is Love, the Light told me.

What distorts people is a LACK of LOVE. The revelations went on and on. I asked, "Does this mean that humankind will be saved?" Like a trumpet blast with a shower of spiraling lights, the Light "spoke," saying, "You save, redeem and heal yourself. You always have and always will. You were created with the power to do so from before the beginning of the world."

In that instant I realized that WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAVED; this is what the "Second Coming" is about. I thanked the Light of God with all my heart. The best thing I could come up with was: "Oh dear God, dear Universe, dear Great Self, I love my Life."

The Light seemed to breathe me in even more deeply, absorbing me. I entered into another realm more profound than the last and was aware of an enormous stream of Light, vast and full, deep. I asked what it was. The Light answered, "This is the RIVER OF LIFE. Drink of this manna water to your heart's content." I drank deeply, in ecstasy.

THE VOID OF NOTHINGNESS

Suddenly I seemed to be rocketing away from the planet on this stream of Life. I saw the earth fly away. The solar system whizzed by and disappeared.. I flew through the center of the galaxy, absorbing more knowledge as I went. I learned that this galaxy, and all of the Universe, is bursting with many different varieties of life. I saw many worlds. We are not alone in this Universe.

It seemed as if all the creations in the Universe soared past me and vanished in a speck of Light. Almost immediately, a second Light appeared. As I passed into the second Light, I could perceive forever, beyond Infinity. I was in the Void, pre-Creation, the beginning of time, the first Word or vibration. I rested in the Eye of Creation and it seemed that I touched the Face of God. It was not a religious feeling. I was simply at-One with Absolute Life andConsciousness.

It would take me years to assimilate the Void experience. It was less than nothing yet greater than anything. Creation is God exploring God's Self through every way imaginable. Through every piece of hair on your head, through every leaf on every tree, through every atom, God is exploring God's Self. I saw everything as the Self of all. God is here. That's what it is all about. Everything is made of light; everything is alive.

THE LIGHT OF LOVE

I rode the stream directly into the center of the Light. I felt embraced by the Light as it took me in with its breath again. And the truth was obvious that there is no death; that nothing is born and nothing dies; that we are immortal beings, part of a natural living system that recycles itself endlessly. I was never told that I had to come back. I just knew that I would. It was only natural, from what I had seen.

As I began my return to the life cycle, it never crossed my mind, nor was I told, that I would return to the same body. It did not matter. I had complete trust in the Light and the Life process. As the stream merged with the great Light, I asked never to forget the revelations and the feelings of what I had learned on the other side. I thought of myself as a human again and I was happy to be that. From what I have seen, I would be happy to be an atom in this universe. An atom. So to be the human part of God ... this is the most fantastic blessing. It is a blessing beyond our wildest estimation of what blessing can be. For each and every one of us to be the human part of this experience is awesome, and magnificent. Each and every one of us, no matter where we are, screwed up or not, is a blessing to the planet, right where we are. So I went through the reincarnation process expecting to be a baby somewhere. But I reincarnated back into this body. I was so surprised when I opened my eyes, to be back in this body, back in my room with someone looking over me, crying her eyes out. It was "Anne," my hospice caretaker. She had found me dead thirty minutes before.

We do not know how long I was dead, only that she found me thirty minutes before. She had honored my wish to have my newly dead body left alone. She can verify that I really was dead. It was not a near-death experience. I believe I probably experienced death itself for at least an hour and a half. When I awakened I saw the light outside. Confused, I tried to get up to go to it, but I fell out of the bed. She heard a loud "clunk", ran in and found me on the floor.. When I recovered, I was surprised and awed about what had happened; I had no memory at first of the experience. I kept slipping out of this world and kept asking, "Am I alive?" This world seemed more like a dream than that one. Within three days, I was feeling normal again, clearer, yet different than ever before. My memories of the journey came back later. But from my return I could find nothing wrong with any human being I had ever seen. Previous to my death I was judgmental, believing that people were really screwed up, everyone but me. About three months later a friend said I should get tested for the cancer, so I got the scans and so forth. I felt healthy. I still remember the doctor at the clinic looking at the "before" and "after" scans. He said, "I can find no sign of cancer now." "A miracle?" I asked. "No," he answered. These things happen -- Spontaneous remission." He seemed unimpressed. But I was impressed and KNEW it was a miracle.

LESSONS LEARNED

The Great Mystery of life has little to do with intelligence. The universe is not an intellectual process. The intellect is helpful; but our HEARTS are the wiser part of our selves. Since my return I have experienced the Light spontaneously, and I have learned how to get to that space almost any time in my meditation. You can also do this. You do not have to die first. You are wired for it already.

The body is the most magnificent Light being there is. The body is a universe of incredible Light. Spirit is not pushing us to dissolve this body. We don't need to commune with God; God is communing with us in every moment. I asked God: "What is the best religion on the planet? Which one is right?" God said with great love: "I don't care." What an incredible grace. It does not matter what religion we are. Religions come and they go, they change. Buddhism has not been here forever, Catholicism has not been here forever, and they are all about to become more enlightened. More light is coming into all systems now.

Many will resist and fight about it, one religion against the next, believing that only they are right. When Godhead said, "I don't care," I understood that it is for us to care about, because we are the caring beings. The Source does not care if you are Protestant, Buddhist, Moslem or Jew. Each is a reflection, a facet of the whole. I wish that all religions would realize it and let each other be. It is not the end of separate religions, but live and let live. Each has a different view. And it all adds up to the big picture.

I went over to the other side with a lot of fears about toxic waste, nuclear missiles, the population explosion, the rain forest. I came back loving every single problem. I love nuclear waste. I love the mushroom cloud; this is the holiest mandala that we have manifested to date, as an archetype. More than any religion or philosophy on earth, that terrible, wonderful cloud brought us together all of a sudden, to a new level of consciousness.

Knowing that maybe we can blow up the planet fifty times or 500 times, we finally realize that maybe we are all here together now. For a period they had to keep setting off more bombs to get it IN to us. Then we started saying, "we do not need this any more." Now we are actually in a safer world than we have ever been in, and it is going to get safer. So I came back loving toxic waste, because it brought us together. These things are so big.

Clearing of the rain forest will slow down, and in fifty years there will be more trees on the planet than in a long time. If you are into ecology, go for it; you are that part of the system that is becoming aware. Go for it with all your might, but do not be depressed or disheartened. Earth is in the process of domesticating itself and we are cells on that Body.

Population increase is getting very close to the optimal range of energy to cause a shift in consciousness. That shift in consciousness will change politics, money and energy.

What happens when we dream? We are multi-dimensional beings. We can access that through lucid dreaming. In fact, this universe is God's dream. One of the things that I saw is that we humans are a speck on a planet that is a speck in a galaxy that is a speck. Those are giant systems out there, and we are in sort of an average system. But human beings are already legendary throughout the cosmos of consciousness.

The little bitty human being, of Earth, is legendary. One of the things that we are legendary for is dreaming. We are legendary dreamers. In fact, the whole cosmos has been looking for the meaning of life, the meaning of it all. And it was the little dreamer who came up with the best answer ever. We dreamed it up. So dreams are important.

After dying and coming back, I really respect life and death. In our DNA experiments we may have opened the door to a great secret. Soon we will be able to live as long as we want to live in this body. After living 150 years or so, there will be an intuitive soul sense that you will want to change channels. Living forever in one body is not as creative as reincarnation, as transferring energy in this fantastic vortex of energy that we are in. We are actually going to see the wisdom of life and death, and enjoy it. As it is now, we have already been alive forever. Here's to life! Here's to death! Here's to it all!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

DNA, Aliens, and Human Development

Yesterday, I posted an article by Deepak Chopra describing research that suggests that DNA imprints can be transmitted to water across space (see excerpt printed below, for those who missed the original).

I want to take this conclusion a step beyond--a big step indeed, but I think that all of us at this time need to put our heads together and consider all possibilities, no matter how outrageous.

Here is my thought: Some people have posited that humans are the result of genetic modification conducted on our species by alien space visitors many centuries ago. Indeed, it seems that at one time long ago there was a sudden burst in "civilized" activities--it was as if new information suddenly flowed in from some unknown source, bringing a renewed capabilities in building, science, governance and other areas--particularly in ancient Sumeria.

Now, I have no idea if this theory is correct or not, but I do find it intriguing. Somehow we "suddenly" became what we think of as "human," no longer the less developed creatures of our ancestry.

I have often wondered how such DNA manipulation might have occurred (assuming it took place).

So here is my speculation: If DNA imprints can be sent across space to water through electric energy, why not to humans? We are, after all, composed to a great extent of water. Space vehicles appear to be propelled by mysterious energy fields. So--you see where this is going.

I am not saying I believe any of my posited theory. But right now, when amazing things are happening in many quarters, I think every possibility should be put on the table for consideration. After all, something happened to our species to set it apart in obvious ways from our fellow inhabitants of the planet (including previous versions of ourselves.)

There is something about Kundalini that involves resonance with energetic fields, which appear to be (or at least feel like) external sources. Do those who undergo spontaneous Kundalini awakening (as well as those who demonstrate "unusual" psychic capacities) possess DNA in which certain strands are activated more than comparable segments of their fellows? I don't know, but I like to speculate on such esoteric possibilities.

Here is the excerpt from Deepak Chopra that started my speculations on DNA and human capacity.

The scientific world went into spasms last week when a Nobel laureate announced that he had, in effect, teleported DNA. That was the sound bite, but of course the story was more complicated. A French team headed by LucMontagnier, previously known for his work on HIV and AIDS, took two test tubes, one of which contained bacterial DNA, the other pure water. After the test tubes were surrounded by an electrical current, analysis showed that an imprint of the DNA was detectable in the water.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Deepak Chopra on Science as the New Spirituality

The following article, by Deepak Chopra, appeared recently in the San Francisco chronicle:

Monday, January 24, 2011 (SF Gate) Spirituality is the new science feedback@sfgate.com">Deepak Chopra The scientific world went into spasms last week when a Nobel laureate announced that he had, in effect, teleported DNA. That was the sound bite, but of course the story was more complicated. A French team headed by LucMontagnier, previously known for his work on HIV and AIDS, took two test tubes, one of which contained bacterial DNA, the other pure water. After the test tubes were surrounded by an electrical current, analysis showed that an imprint of the DNA was detectable in the water. The outrageousness of this claim echoes a finding from over a decade ago that water has memory. What delights me about this controversy, which will be won by the skeptics, naturally, is that conventional science is fraying around the edges, and the fraying is being done by scientists themselves. A decade ago, for example, you couldn't find more than a small handful of physicists and biologists who were willing to consider that the study of consciousness was reputable. This year there will be conventions on the subject with hundreds of participants. This isn't because there's been an outbreak of rebelliousness in labs across the globe. Rather, there was nowhere else for the trail to go. You can't discuss memory, either in the human brain or in water, without explaining consciousness. Popular books like The Tao of Physics and God and the New Physics played an enormous role in the general culture. But their impact on professional physicists has been slight and gradual. That's because physics is based on materialism. Anything that isn't a thing, any phenomenon that cannot be measured, doesn't belong in physics. But the solid, material world vanished a hundred years ago, and almost all the quantum pioneers, such as Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, and Erwin Schroedinger, either became outright mystics or remained baffled by the radical discovery that the universe emerged from a void. This inconceivable place, which is outside space and time, isn't empty. It functions as the womb of creation. Indeed, every particle in the universe -- including those that make up our body -- flicker in and out of the vacuum state thousands of times per second. Is this also the place where mind comes from? The world's spiritual traditions have always held that creation is imbued with consciousness. The purest statement of this comes from the sages of ancient India, who proclaimed "AhamBrahmasmi," ("I am the universe"). I look upon them as the Einsteins of consciousness, because they explored the farthest reaches of consciousness in order to find its essence, the irreducible quality that allows mind to exist. The connection between science and spirituality took a long time to move in from the fringes, but even so renowned a scientist as Sir Roger Penrose has offered a theory that would trace human thought back to quantum events happening at the finest level of the neuron. What this tells me is that some thick walls are tumbling down. In particular there has been a wall that shut science away from consciousness. For many reasons it was the last wall to be breached: science abhors subjectivity and enshrines objectivity, it depends on data rather than experience, and experiments require theoretical models, whereas there is no model of mind that anyone can agree upon. These were valid reasons for hundreds of years. Yet two simple facts were being overlooked. Fact #1: Everything in existence is experienced through our consciousness, including subatomic particles and distant galaxies. The universe exists in our consciousness. There is no proof of an objective universe, which is taken on faith, as pure assumption. Fact #2: If there is a universe outside our consciousness, we can have no knowledge of it. You can perform thousands upon thousands of experiments while still ignoring these two facts. But eventually there's a limit, and when you reach it, you have to ask some key questions: Is the universe conscious? Is everything happening in the mind of God? Does the mind exist outside the brain? Once preposterous, these questions seem to hold the key to the future, in both physics and biology. There is much more to say on the subject, but for the moment, we can at least afford a smile at the notion that DNA can teleport itself and that water can remember things. Out of delight and imagination most of the world's great ideas were born. Deepak Chopra

In this article, Deepak Chopra points out in vivid fashion something that many persons and traditions have known for years: that matter itself is not "real," that it is an insubstantial appearance that deludes our senses with an illusion that we then call "reality." In the Church of Christ Scientist (which I attended as a young adult), we repeated a kind of mantra: "There is no life, intelligence or reality in matter. All is infinite mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is all in all." In the Eastern Hindu traditions, "Maya" is the name given to the veil that covers the essential reality lying behind. Maya is the "veil of illusion," and part of our spiritual journey is to come to the recognition that all we see and experience is in fact fraudulent, for we but deceive ourselves in the world of appearances.

Modern science,however, has followed a different route. Starting from the premise that only matter is real, it has analyzed, dissected, and probed the world of material reality as its primary mission. The world of the subjective--the joy or sorrows we "experience" in our lives-- are not relevant. The world of art and creative accomplishment are cast aside. Only if you can see, touch, or weigh and measure it is it real. This materialistic approach dominated the thinking of the scientific world for centuries. Consciousness itself was relegated to the realm of the not real, for only the brain existed.

But this view, dominant for so long, has now reached a dead end. Quantum physics proves beyond all doubt that "matter" is composed essentially of space, that is, nothingness. The atom itself has been split into finer and finer particles, until finally, at the core, we find nothing at all. The beginning of creation is held to be a tiny speck of something which exploded with such force it created our universe. What was this tiny speck?

If the scientists would consider that the beginning came from a thought rather than a thing, they would solve many of their problems. This thought is not a material reality. It is something beyond our comprehension. Yet, for many of us, it exists as final truth. We know (with our own conscious minds) that we and it are one. Kundalini awakening can bring us to immediate understanding of this insight. If we are not tiny components of this vast reality, then what are we?

The above was written in response to a poem by a highly esteemed poet who has won innumerable prizes and honors for her achievement as a writer. She deserves all the credit she has received for her outstanding creative work. Yet, when we turn to the content, rather than the craft itself, of her poems, we find a sensibility caught in the nets of despair, one who perceives little or nothing to celebrate in the human experience (at least not in the poem mentioned above.)

One of the unbreakable rules of poetry as an art form (and all artistic endeavor) is that the poet must be free to express his/her own perspective, with no regard for the views of or possible impact on the reader or audience. Yet, we as audience also have (I think) the right and even the responsibility to consider the work outside the realm of poetry itself (where it is untouchable in this regard), and look at what it is saying to the world at large in terms of perspective or thought.

Many poets today focus almost exclusively on the shadow, the dark side of events and of their own experience. It is more or less assumed by such as these that any acknowledgement of the brighter aspects of life indicates a superficial view of things, a sensibility unwilling to face the "facts."

The "facts," to be authentic, must embrace the light as well as the dark, the life giving and affirming experiences offered to us and which often abound even in the midst of stress or challenge. To exclude either aspect entirely is to distort what it means to be alive in a world filled with threat and glory, despair and exaltation.

And here is where Kundalini comes in. A rich and postive Kundalini experience can remind us that there is a realm of sacred possibilities beyond the world of manifest experience, and that even our most trying times can be balanced by experiences of indescribable joy.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Kundalini Rising and Collective Consciousness

Kundalini Rising and Collective Consciousness

More and more it is happening. One day, you are going along, doing your usual things, thinking your usual thoughts, when--bam! seemingly out of nowhere, a shock wave goes through your system. You feel something happening within which is totally different from anything you have ever experienced before. Ecstatic energies seem to flood your system, perhaps opening the lower portions of your body, perhaps surging upward, enlivening and awakening areas in ways completely foreign to you before this moment.

You ask, "What is going on?" The experience continues, bringing periods of exquisite bliss as well as bizarre behaviors and sometimes pain. Sooner or later, you discover or stumble upon the answer: you have experienced kundalini awakening.

Of course, the pattern varies from person to person. The awakening may be triggered by trauma, illness, events of dramatic intensity of all sorts. It may be brought on gradually, perhaps through traditional meditation or spiritual practices. It could occur simply from being in the presence of a highly developed spiritual leader and her (his ) followers.

Whatever the cause, this event seems to be occurring with greater and greater frequency across the globe. No one is keeping statistics on this. Nobody really knows the overall pattern or ultimate purpose. What we do know is that "something is happening." No one fully understands it or can state its intended goal. But we can speculate as to where this phenomenon is headed.

The current issue of the magazine What Is Enlightenment? is dedicated to what is called collective intelligence. It contains many articles by well known writers, who agree that collective knowledge and group expertise is notably more effective than individual effort in solving problems and achieving desired outcomes, especially in the world of practical affairs, from sports to global challenges. They suggest this reliance on group wisdom may be a manifestation of the evolution of human intelligence posited by many writers of our time.

Perhaps group consciousness extends to realms beyond the pragmatic. Perhaps what the mystic experiences in her state of exaltation, when she thinks and feels beyond her own boundaries, as if knowing the internal thoughts and perceptions of others as well as her own, is a clue to this new state. We are told by various channels and sources claiming knowledge of after-death states that in the spirit realm, each being has instant access to the feelings and mental states of all the others. Some speak of actual cells of consciousness, each unit consisting of a "soul group" of beings who participate a common awareness and collective identity.

What if indeed this is our evolutionary purpose...to achieve a consciousness beyond the individual. To feel with, be with, know with others in a kind of shared empathy, while still retaining our own individual identity.

In the drug exerience, people sometimes attain this kind of consciousness. They say they know intuitively what others are thinking, feel what they are feeling. And the state which makes this possible is one of overwhelming love--seeing with the eyes of love, feeling with the spirit of love. At that moment, everything is beautiful, all beings are oneself.

What if all of us reach this state through evolutionary development to another level of consciousness? What if kundalini awakening is god exploding in our bodies, revealing our true identity as particles of the divine? What if we (our collective cell of kindred souls) had access to the accumulated wisdom and experience of the group, could share in the past spiritual development of all the others? What if we then functioned without the physical containers (bodies) which restrict, without need of the biological supports (food, water, air) which sustain us now? What if this new creation is infused with divine energy, the energy of love, the sustaining element which underlies and manifests as creation itself? What if we become fuller expressions of the divine?

What if the present world crisis provided the impetus for world wide initiation...crisis bringing us to god? And what if we are here at this time to participate in and support this dramatic transition to a new level?

Is this the direction in which human evolution is headed? Does kundalini put us more squarely on this path? Does it draw us closer to the next stage of human development? I think so.

We can never prove it through test or analysis. We cannot force it to come forth. We can merely let it happen, both experiencing and witnessing in silent wonder as the mystery unfolds.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yesterday was the birthday for Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the great wise men and political leaders of our country. I found the following description of him on "The Writer's Almanac (with Garrison Keillor). Much of what he says is totally applicable to our own times.

It's the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., (books by this author) born on this day in Atlanta (1929). He is best known for his work as a leader during the civil rights movement and his commitment to nonviolence. On April 4th, 1967, King delivered a speech called "Beyond Vietnam," in which he strongly denounced America's involvement in the Vietnam War. He was concerned that the war was recruiting poor and minority soldiers, that it was draining resources from much-needed social programs at home, and that it was an unjust war anyway, targeting the poor people of Vietnam. He said, "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."

Throughout the next year, he continued to speak out against the war, and said that the civil rights movement and the peace movement should come together for greater strength. He began a "Poor People's Campaign" to fight economic inequality. On April 4th, 1968, exactly one year after his first anti-war speech, King was assassinated while he was standing on the balcony of his Memphis motel room. He was preparing to lead a protest march in solidarity with garbage workers who were on strike.

He said, "If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."

And he said: "Here and there an individual or group dares to love, and rises to the majestic heights of moral maturity. So in a real sense this is a great time to be alive. Therefore, I am not yet discouraged about the future. Granted that the easygoing optimism of yesterday is impossible. Granted that those who pioneer in the struggle for peace and freedom will still face uncomfortable jail terms, painful threats of death; they will still be battered by the storms of persecution, leading them to the nagging feeling that they can no longer bear such a heavy burden, and the temptation of wanting to retreat to a more quiet and serene life. Granted that we face a world crisis which leaves us standing so often amid the surging murmur of life's restless sea. But every crisis has both its dangers and its opportunities. It can spell either salvation or doom. In a dark confused world the kingdom of God may yet reign in the hearts of men."

(In Homer's great epic called the Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, who is gone for 20 years first fighting the Trojan war, and then having various adventures for many years as he returns home. To fend off the many suitors who want to marry her in his absence, she weaves a cloth each day, and unravels it at night, promising to choose a mate when the work is finished. This poem is a retelling of the story as a kind of allegory of the soul--how we each long to be reunited with that part of ourselves that is missing or more or less forgotten (spirit, higher self, inner god or goddess). Finally, union is achieved (and Kundalini is one way this can happen) and we feel complete at last.

(Image is of a painting by John William Waterhouse, a pre-Raphaelite painter.)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Teleconference with Jean Houston

Recently, I received this message about an interesting teleconference with Jean Houston, one of the pioneers of the Human Potential Movement. Jean has been doing workshops across the world, writing books, and in general supporting the cause of expanded consciousness for decades. She is now recognized as a major luminary in the world of spiritual awareness.

This presentation is free. It is a rare opportunity.

To learn more, and to register, go to http://purposeanddestiny.net/

Dear Friends, As Evolutionaries, many of us are sensing that, for the world to change in a profound way, more and more of us need to awaken to--and align with--our true purpose and calling in life. We know deep down that we have a meaningful contribution to bring into the world, and we sense that it's only in discovering and bringing forth this potential, that we will find our own spiritual fulfillment. That's why we're excited to be writing you today to share a rare opportunity to join one of the greatest spiritual luminaries of our time - Dr. Jean Houston - for a FREE global teleconference and gatheringdesigned to help you discover and embody this greater calling. In "The 3 Keys to Discovering & Living Your True Purpose," Jean will share her time-tested, proven process for how to not only discover your life's purpose, but how to infuse that purpose into your daily life.

It's probably fair to say that no one in the world has more first-hand experience researching life's codes and helping others activate their highest calling than Jean. From advising heads of state - including President and Mrs. Clinton - writing bestselling books, collaborating with other spiritual luminaries, and speaking around the globe, Jean has awakened millions of people to their life's true purpose - and helped them use that discovery to transform their lives and even change the world. These days, Jean spends almost all of her time traveling, speaking and teaching workshops and seminars. But for this special one-time event, Jean has agreed to teach her unique process to thousands of people around the world - at no charge. She'll help you turn the inspiration you feel within into powerful, purposeful action. This groundbreaking Global Teleconference and Gathering will take place on January 17th at 5:30pm PST. You can listen live by phone or online, or download the recording anytime after the event. We can't recommend Jean's approach strongly enough. Indeed, if there ever was a person who literally holds the keys for how you can find your highest calling in an Evolutionary context - it's Jean. Here's what other luminaries have to say about Jean's work: "With elegant simplicity, Jean Houston shows you how to unleash the genius that lies in the depths of your being." -Deepak Chopra, M.D. "Jean Houston plays midwife to the next phase of our evolutionary journey...We are literally drawn from the smaller, personal

self to the larger, universal possibility..." -Marianne Williamson "I learned so much from her." -President Bill Clinton "Jean Houston is a great producer of events and new possibilities as she orchestrates the voices of the new consciousness" -Margaret Mead "Jean Houston is a national treasure." -Wayne Dyer, Ph.D "One of the finest individuals I have ever met." -Caroline Myss You can learn more about this free online event by visiting this webpage. To our evolution, The Integral Enlightenment Team P.S. If you have any friends or colleagues who are seeking live a life of greater meaning and purpose, please share this invitation with them.

(from Jean's website -- see above for website address):

e by phone or online or download the recording anytime.

You long to live a life of purpose. There's no time to waste—and you feel a deep sense of urgency around giving your greatest gift to the world. And yet you find yourself struggling, passionately searching, for exactly how to make a meaningful difference and finally live the life you were meant to live.

The good news is, you're not alone. In fact, at this very moment, millions of people like you are searching for ways to align themselves with a higher calling and deeper purpose. Some say it's a global awakening of proportions we've never seen.

And your struggles to gain traction are also not your fault. We simply never were trained on how to infuse our daily lives with meaning and purpose.

Fortunately, there are ways—proven methods—to activate your full potential and to live a life that is as deeply fulfilling as it is meaningful.

And you're about to discover the foremost system for bringing your highest calling into the reality of your daily life.

A New Era Demands New Training

You see, to actually live your true purpose in today's complex and challenging times, you need more than just a passion for making a difference.

In order to make a real difference at this unique moment in history, you need new skills.

You need to be activated in body, mind, and spirit—equipped with the kind of resiliency, vision, and creativity that transcends ordinary human capacities.

Simply put, fulfilling your life's purpose requires a software upgrade. You need a new "operating system" for life.

These are skills that aren't taught in school, they aren't recognized by our institutions, and you don't hear about them on the news.

But there are a small handful of individuals who have spent their lives charting the new territory of human potential—empowering people to discover and finally live their life's purpose.

So if you feel like you're about to give up, lose hope, and call it quits on your dream, here's very good news:

Announcing "The 3 Keys to Discovering &

Living Your True Purpose"

Free Teleconference

with Dr. Jean Houston

Jean Houston has dedicated her life to understanding life's codes and helping others activate their highest calling. From advising heads of state—including President and Mrs. Clinton— writing bestselling books, collaborating with spiritual luminaries, and speaking around the globe, Jean has awakened countless people to their life's true meaning and purpose.

Indeed, for more than five decades, Jean has enabled people from all walks of life to discover work that they love, to start and join communities that share a common purpose and passion, and to become catalysts for higher potential.

And on January 17, you'll have a full 75 minutes to "download" Jean's wisdom and years of experience into your own life. She'll help you turn the inspiration you feel within into powerful, purposeful action.

During the call, Jean will be sharing her unique insights into how to finally live your purpose in life—and then align everything, from job to friends to community, around that singular calling.

So join us and thousands of individuals around the world as Jean reveals her time-tested, proven process for living your true purpose. Register below by entering your first name and email address, and then click the Register button.

This site is dedicated to Patricia Lay-Dorsey, beloved friend, mentor, artist, and activist, who has given her life to making this world a better place. Click here to see Patricia's photographs. It was Patricia's photos that illustrated my blog from its beginnings through December 2006. From January 2007 through the present, the photos are my own unless otherwise noted.